I didn’t come from a road-tripping family—we were more of a drive to a destination family. So, prior to meeting my husband and having kids I used to dread the idea of a family road trip and sitting in the car for hours on end but I am here to say—I was wrong! I have come to love a family road trip and all the things that come along with it—the laughs, the songs, the food, the love and the family moments and memories it creates.
Below are 2 amazing US road trips that should be on any American families’ bucket list and hopefully, it will give you inspiration for your next summer vacation. Either trip can be done in 7-10 days and will leave you smiling ear to ear.
My most important tip when planning a road trip is to have a balance of fun kids things and movement outside the car with beautiful scenery and driving. You can make it through any road trip even with young kids if you break up long days on the road with fun days out of the car exploring.
Pacific Coast: Anaheim to Seattle
Major Stops:
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- Anaheim, CA
- Monterey, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Redding, CA
- Hood River, OR
- Seattle, WA
Highlights Along the Way
- Pacific Coast Highway
- Bixby Bridge
- Monterey Aquarium
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Fisherman’s Wharf
- Muir Woods
- Avenue of the Giants
- Mount Shasta
- Crater Lake
- Columbia River Gorge
We started our Road Trip in Anaheim, CA at Disneyland for 2 days which was so much fun for the whole family and set such fun tone for this trip. You can, however, start it anywhere in Los Angeles or San Diego area. This trip allows you to see amazing scenery, take short or long gorgeous hikes, drive through Redwood Trees as well as have a day of city fun in San Francisco. We spent 1 night in each city with the exception of Seattle.
This trip could easily be extended and Portland could be added in for another amazing day. When we are planning out our trip we try to find hotels with pools and allow time each day for some fun running around outside or at the hotel pool. On this trip, we took my father-in-law along on this trip and it is such a wonderful way for him to spend time with our boys without too much physical exertion.
Northeastern: Boston to Maine
Major Stops:
- Boston, MA
- Portsmouth, NH
- Bar Harbor, ME
Highlights Along the Way
- Freedom Trail
- USS Constitution
- Lobster Boat Tour
- LL Bean Outlet
- Acadia National Park
This road trip is a great way to start out—it’s much less driving and more activities in each stop with multiple nights at each location. You’ll get to eat amazing Italian food and clam chowder in Boston plus the freshest blueberry ice cream and lobster you’ve ever had in Maine. All while having an amazing family time and an abundance of history lessons along the way.
No matter where you go give a whirl to a family road trip. There are so many places to see, so many unique things to do, so many memories to create so get planning!
